Praesa
Praesa are a species of 6D beings. They are the variety that most non 6D beings are familiar with, as they often make communication outside of their home dimension. They are also known for being the subjects of the Reapers. Praesa have a vaguely human like appearance, but one would have to have never seen a human before to mix up the two. Their eyes are dark and typically quite sharp, with bright pupils. They have a sharp set of teeth as well as retractable claws on their hands. Glowing lines cover their body, which can be essentially any kind of color. Shards of metal also protrude out of their body, in rather painful looking positions, though they don't actually cause harm. They are typically quite tall, with an average height of 6'0"ft / 72cm. There are two distinct Praesa cultures. The Hillowfest live under the rule of the Reapers. Meanwhile, Bearunic Praesa are the descendants of those who rejected their rule and protection. The population of Hillowfest Praesa outweigh that of the Bearunic. These cultures are also internally varied, with different subcultures intertwined into them. History Praesa are believed to be a distant cousin of the Cynnhete, which evolutionary split off from them long ago. They are distinct enough to be unaffected by The Dream, the virus-like affliction responsible for the current state of the Cynnhete. Some time after the civilization's fall, Praesa quickly became dominant due to their capability to have some sort of stability. They laid claim to the ruins of advanced technology, scavenging it to bolster their power. Technology from abandoned complexes, labs, and farms was used to grant them advancement. However, despite their access to technology, life in 6D proved to be harsh and often quite short. Not only did they constantly fight with the Cynnhete, but there was also problems with other hostile monstrosities. In order to survive, the Praesa developed a warrior-like lifestyle that involved in the intense training of every individual. At some unknown point, Reapers would make their debut in the dimension. Despite their power, they lacked an unlimited reach. Seeing the struggling Praesa, the Reapers offered a deal. Reapers would protect the Praesa with their strength from the hostile wilderness. In exchange, the Praesa would perform any tasks the Reapers had need of and be unquestionably loyal. Should they fail that, their protection would be forfeit. Most groups of Praesa accepted their protection. Some accepted because they genuinely wanted protection. Others were in awe of the powerful feats these entities were capable of, wanting to serve this group of powerful entities. Some, however, rejected it, sticking it out in the wilderness. The protection would give the Praesa the means to create more stable civilizations, considerably faster than they would have been able to on their own. Without the presence of the Reapers, it is possible that there would be nothing but ruins in 6D at the moment. Lifespan and Age Praesa have a rather strange way of aging. They don't really die of old age, but rather become something completely different progressively. Praesa older than 3000 meta years start to show way more bestial traits, such as growing tails, fur, scales, extra eyes, and strange growths. Aspects of their visage also start to bleed in. Their natural magical abilities also mutate, becoming stronger yet way more specialized, typically based in what they are already skilled at. Their magical specialization affects their new growing appearances. Praesa that reach this age also start to lose their sanity, becoming out of touch with reality and those around them. It takes about 5000 meta years for the transformation to complete. After its done, they are typically completely unrecognizable. What happens to these old Praesa varies, as they aren't necessary violent, but rather completely disconnected from what they once were. It is typical for them to run out of civilization and into the unknown wilderness of 6D. However, some old ones do stay within civilization. There are also cases of them becoming devoted servants of Reapers and other powerful entities. The Visage Each Praesa has a "visage", which serves as their true appearance. The visage of a Praesa varies from individual to individual, as it is a fundamental expression of their soul and personality. Features of a visage are extremely variable, but horns of some kind are always present. A Praesa is able to reveal their visage whenever they wish. Some Praesa have an extremely unsettling visage, which they use for intimidation. Others may have one that look extremely kind and trustworthy. Of course, there are also plenty of other appearances of visages, which are variable as personality itself. Praesa are often very selective of showing their visage. Not only can their visage cause harm to them if overused, they can also have permeant unwanted effects on the minds of those who have seen them. The privacy of a Praesa's visage is also seen as highly valuable, as exposing it is essentially exposing their entire personality. Magic Praesa have natural aptitude for what most would call magic. They can cast a variety of spells quite well. Praesa spells use both their natural energy and souls for usage. Souls may be used as a substitute, though this is frowned upon by most, as well as illegal in some places. The most common use of Praesa magic is for medical attention. Although they cannot do such intense things as regrowing a limb, they are able to accelerate the natural healing process of the body. In addition, they can cure disease and malice relatively well. Typically, a combination of medical expertise and magic will be used. In general, Praesa magic can effect reality, but not to a massive amount. In addition, it doesn't linger around after usage, meaning that it rarely has any permeant effects after what has been done. This is, of course, for most cases. More powerful Praesa mages have been demonstrated doing extreme tasks. Hillowfest Culture Hillowfest is a much more prominent culture than Bearunic, due to sheer population. It is also notable for being more internally diverse than Bearunic culture, due to the different customs enforced by different Reapers. Clothing Praesa are a big fan of robes and cloaks. The common daily wear of most includes either a robe or a cloak. Overall, they have a preference for heavier and more baggy material. An important aspect of Praesa dress are also their masks. During formal occasions, Praesa can nearly always be seen wearing masks. They come in all sorts of colours and designs, but are typically quite simple. Bearunic Culture Clothing Although Bearunic still like their robes and cloaks, they are typically made out of lighter material compared to their Hillowfest counterparts. They are typically much more dull, with colours only used on the garments of the Bearunic leaders. This is due to a shortage of dye. Bearunic put tons of details into their masks, typically crafting them out of the bones of dead creatures, sometimes even fashioning skulls into them. They tend to mark the tales of events into their masks. These masks are typically passed down through generations, preserved through Technology It should be noted that technology between Bearunic and Hillowfest are specialized in different areas. Hillowfest prefer more entertainment, quality of life, and expedition technology. Meanwhile, Bearunic typically create weapons, agricultural technology, and cybernetic augments. Access to Smaller Dimensions Despite being 6D entities, with the help of their technology Praesa can access lower dimensions with a type of machine called a projector. Although projectors are typically only in ownership of high-standing Praesa due to expense, they do see some use. Projectors effectively work by scanning a Praesa (or any other 6D entity), and then proceed to create a "compressed" version of them out of part of their being that is transported to the location. The subject must first hook themselves up to the scanners. They then gain control of that other version, while their body is put into an idle state. They may exit this state by will, or be forcefully ejected if disturbed while using the projector or if their body is destroyed. Destruction of a body projected by a projector will cause physical damage and wounds to whoever is using it, typically requiring medical care to treat. Because of this, the typical standard is for a projector to have an automatic medical bay built in. It will keep the one using it in a state of suspension as it completes the procedure.Category:Species